Helen Skelton has broken her silence on why she had a ‘face like thunder’ when dance partner Gorka Marquez publicly discussed her marriage breakdown.
As Gorka showered praise on the Strictly Come Dancing star – while referencing her ex Richie Myler – Helen bit her lip and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
During the clearly unexpected speech on live TV, Gorka put his arm around Helen as he said: “I know you’ve been having a difficult time.
“And I know you may feel like you’re not beautiful or good enough or anything. But if you don’t believe in yourself. I believe in you. Everybody here believes in you.”
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Her dance partner went on to say: “It’s only you who is going to be the one who can make the change and the one who needs to believe in you, because you are an amazing woman. Very inspirational.
“An amazing mum and incredible dancer, so believe in you, please.”
As the audience clapped, poor Helen looked mortified and memes of her furious ‘side eye’ quickly went viral.
Helen later admitted she isn’t mad at Gorka for what he did – but said she had taken him to one side for a chat afterwards.
The 39-year-old told The Sun : “What I love about Gorka is that he has my very best interests at heart, and we are genuinely very good friends.
“But sometimes, maybe, we need to talk about what he’s allowed to say publicly. I was like, ‘Oh God, where is he going with this? That’s why I jumped on the table - to shut him up!”
Although Gorka got it a bit wrong that time, Helen says he ‘has the measure of me’ and is constantly trying to lift her spirits, which she appreciates after a tough year.
She revealed he brings her a coffee and pastry every morning and writes on the coffee cup ‘you’re brilliant, you’ve got this’.
The Countryfile presenter said he does this because he knows she’d be “mortified and embarrassed” if he did it to her face.
Helen has refused to accept any pity since the public collapse of her eight-year marriage to rugby player Richie.
The sportsman, who plays for Lees Rhinos, left the family home in April when their youngest child, Elsie Kate, was just four months old.
The couple also share sons Ernie, seven, and five-year-old Louis.
Since then it has emerged that Richie, 32, has already moved on with Stephanie Thirkill, the daughter of millionaire Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill.
Despite only being together a few months, Stephanie announced she was pregnant with Richie’s child in October.
Richie is said to have told his presenter ex before going public with the baby news.
The only thing Helen has said publicly on their split is: "Very sad to say that Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home.
"We will be doing our best to co parent our small children."
She and her three children have moved to her parents' farm in Cumbria, where she is making the most of no longer having to life the 'transient' life of Rugby.
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